views:

51

answers:

2

Hello:

I am experimenting with the database project in Visual Studio 2010. The schema diff and management of scripts looks great, but where are the database diagrams? I would like to design the tables visually, but still make use of the versioning/comparison/deployment tools in VS2010. I didn't see any option in the database project to create a diagram. Is that not supported?

A: 

I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for, but I suggest you add an Entity Diagram (Entity Framework) to your project / solution. This will allow you to design/describe your data model(s) either by drawing them visually or by importing an existing database schema.

Entity Framework information: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa697427(VS.80).aspx

Tutorial (for EF 2.0 but still relevant) http://blog.garypretty.co.uk/index.php/2009/05/20/tutorial-entity-framework-v20-model-first-using-visual-studio-2010-and-net-40/

I hope this helps you get started

TimothyP
I'm not sure if this is really what I'm after. If I understand correctly EF lets me generate code to a datamodel. I am really looking to manage the lifecycle of our database. The tool also needs to faciliate visual design of the databsae and the publishing of ERD's. Can EF do round-trip updates to the database schema?
JMarsch
You can update the database from the modem or update the modem from the database at any time if that is what you mean
TimothyP
+1  A: 

You could create the diagrams in SSMS (or another diagramming/modelling tool) as you would do normally, and synchronize the structure back to your Visual Studio Database Project, although you'll need the Premium or Ultimate version of Visual Studio to use this feature.

David Atkinson
I am using Ultimate. Does your response mean that there is no diagramming support in the database tools with Visual Studio? I was hoping that when they announced db tools, it meant something similar to XCase or ErWin. (my question stems from some research that I am doing to try to do lifecycle management on our database (we're an ISV). I like the way that VS2010 handles the scripts and schema syncing, but with no visualization of the schema, it's a no-go.
JMarsch
Not to my knowledge, although I might be wrong. Although I've not looked at it myself, I think that ERWin was the first (and only?) modeling tool that uses the VS Database Edition API. I'd be surprised if Microsoft didn't eventually have an offering of their own, but I've not seen an announcement so far.
David Atkinson